APC tips: What to do about the final assessment template update

The RICS APC final assessment templates, first launched in December 2008 (in Excel), were updated on 15 June 2009 following some excellent feedback from the final assessments delivered in April/May 2009.

If you are using the earlier version of the templates, from December 2008, and you are nearing your final assessment submission time for autumn 2009, then don’t worry because the RICS quite clearly states on its website that it is happy for you to use that version.

However, that said, I have done a test copying a full set of data from version one of the templates to version two, and it only took around 30 minutes. My advice would be to copy your data over to version two as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT: Please read the help information about copying and pasting in the “Getting Started Guide”, which is at the front of the templates, before you start the copying your data across.

The main reason I suggest you come across to version two is that most of the changes in the new version were assessor driven and provide the candidate information in a better format that is more user friendly to the assessors. If that is the case, why would you ignore this advice?

While the data entry has not changed in version two, some of the templates have been tweaked to work better. I have outlined all the changes below:

• Template 1: The declaration has been updated
• Template 2: Now has allowance for the checklist to adjust itself based upon the candidate’s APC route and personal situation
• Template 3: Now carries a “total” number of days recorded box to the righthand side of the mandatory competencies table
• Template 4: No change
• Template 5: Now has an employment record/history table added to it
• Template 6: Now has the heading and the level one, two or three stated for each competency (done to alleviate the problem of competency headings dropping over a page when printing)
• Template 7: As for template 6
• Template 8: No change.

Other than the addition of the employment table in template five, the candidate information requirements between the two versions is exactly the same.

To alleviate over 60% of your diary and log book recording time and to help you better manage your APC, DeLever will soon be launching the latest version of the myAPC diary 2009, which includes all of the latest RICS templates and some new and interesting APC management reporting features. If you are interested in a pre-launch preview, you can email hayley@delever.com for a (PDF) copy of the myAPC diary 2009 help and quick-start guide, which has the full explanation of the new myAPC diary features and screen captures so you can see how it works and what it looks like. DeLever is also offering a free trial option to companies that would like to test the myAPC diary for their own candidates. Please ask DeLever for more details if you are interested.

Don’t ignore the guidance

While writing, I would remind all candidates, given the current APC timings and imminent final assessment pre-submission (August/September) that you make sure you read all of the help and guidance in the APC templates. Ensure that in template six and seven (if referred) every level two and three competency has real life experience and projects you have been personally involved in. See the DeLever Candidate Companion for more guidance and general worked examples.

Graduate route three candidates please note that I am still seeing a large number of you not completing the templates and critical analysis well enough, which in turn is maintaining the very low pass rate. Please ensure you read all of the template help information and APC guides properly.

And finally, don’t forget the all-important rules of conduct and make sure you maintain your up-to-date knowledge of these. It is imperative and a huge factor to your APC success that you are able to apply yourself both professionally and ethically.